GOVERNMENT will be turning to the Chinese to build some 15 police stations across the country next year. This would depend on if the Patrick Manning administration is returned to power in the upcoming General Elections before the end of the year. The Ministry of National Security is being forced to turn to Chinese construction workers because local contractors are taken too long to carry out the job. The Chinese are very efficient and has been seen in a number of building projects that were carried out in the country within the stipulated time and without cost overruns. During the five years of the People’s National Movement (PNM) rule only four police stations were built -- Toco, Gasparillo, Mayaro and Belmont -- but they are yet to be completed. They are expected to be finished by the end of the year. National Security Minister Martin Joseph speaking during the 2007/2008 Budget debate in the Senate earlier this month spoke about the length of time it was taking to complete building police stations. He said: “I heard the Honourable Member of Parliament for Siparia talk about how the Government is only making promises about building police stations. As the person responsible for national security, I feel badly as to the length of time it has taken us to complete the police stations. “Since I became Minister of National Security about three or four years ago, we have had about three or four police stations -- since January this year the Belmont Police Station was supposed to be handed over. I have some information that says by the end of September. “Speaker, again the Minister of National Security made recommendations to Cabinet and I have indicated the problems we have had and how as a result of that the Government is embarrassed in terms of ability, so much so that they are saying our priorities are wrong, we are building this and building that and we cannot build the police stations. “We have the money, contracts are out and we cannot build because, obviously, people do not want to build, so we will find a way,” he said during his debate. “I give this honourable House the assurance that next year please God when we are coming to report on the performance, I can assure you we would not be talking about five police stations not being built, you would see the number of police stations because we have found a way to get around this bottleneck and we can give the population the assurance that we are going to be building police stations, fire stations and getting these things out of the way. We will find the way and have found the way to build these police stations,” he told the Senate. In Prime Minister Patrick Manning’s budget presentation $4.4 billion was allocated to fight crime. Part of the money will be spent on building the new 15 police stations and refurbishing 56 others. He said construction of five new police stations will start by the end of next month.